


The Days Beyond

by MelodicAscent



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alcohol, Alcoholic ice cream totally exists, Come on, Don't worry this is still under the T rating, F/M, Gets dark, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Learning to adjust, Torture, and then gets worse, it starts cute, lots of fluff, nothing explicit though, post kh3, spoiler free
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-01-23 04:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18542680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelodicAscent/pseuds/MelodicAscent
Summary: Xehanort is no longer a threat. The worlds are at peace. But for the two ex-organization XIII members, it's been difficult to adjust to a "normal" life. Unlike most of their friends, they don't have a past to return to. Instead, they're going to make a future for themselves.One thing leads to another, and they find themselves in an interesting situation: they're faced with having to raise a child.A child of a replica and a nobody, both of whom are keyblade wielders. That's gonna get the attention of individuals with dark motives.(Take place post KH3 but is spoiler-free; basically, I was like "WHAT IF EVERYTHING WAS GREAT AND EVERYONE WAS HAPPY" and went from there. I tampered with the DDD lore too because some of the plot points didn't sit well with me. Enjoy :D )





	1. Rainbow Ice Cream

**Author's Note:**

> So, backstory: I joined the Kingdom Hearts amino because I was bored. I ended up in a roleplay as Xion with a Roxas doing a really good job of sticking with his character. We eventually had the two flirting (since we both very much ship it) and it evolved into a story that I freaking loved. So, I'm tweaking it, adding more details, and putting it on here in multi-chapter format.
> 
> As the tags said, there is some implied sexual content, but there is nothing explicit. Heck it doesn't go into any detail at all. It really is just implied, and it's not the focus of the story, so I left it on the T rating. There will be some slight adult humor, but I mean, Umbrella Academy is full of adult humor and is still TV-14.
> 
> Roxas refused to give me any other name to credit him as (I told him to just make something up, but he couldn't come up with anything except DBZA references, hence the crediting the way it is). Even though I'm the one compiling the story, I'm listing him as a co-writer since he helped with the original idea.
> 
> And since he doesn't have an AO3 account: **STORY CO-WRITTEN BY DOOOOOOOOODGE**

Xion gazed out at the sunset. With the threat of Xehanort gone and her having the chance to live a normal teenage life, she felt more at peace than ever.

However, she was also incredibly bored.

Since she wasn’t a legal citizen of Twilight Town, she couldn’t enroll in school. The best she could hope for was a job from someone who wasn’t picky about the paperwork, but the jobs on the boards around town hardly paid anything.

“Hey,” Roxas said, nudging her with his elbow. “Something on your mind?”

“It’s just...without the organization, without having something to fight, life is...boring, I guess. It’s monotonous. Every day feels exactly the same as the last, and while I’m glad I get to spend time with you, it’s not exactly the most thrilling experience.”

Roxas nodded. “I get what you mean. Maybe we need to pick up hobbies or something.”

“We could try taking martial arts lessons. Or maybe we could get into ballroom dance classes?”

“You don’t sound thrilled about either of those ideas. And frankly, neither am I.”

She sighed. “I don’t have enough experience with life to know what things I do and don’t like. The things I like the most are my friends and ice cream. That’s not exactly a long list of credentials.”

Roxas stood up. “Come on, then. Let’s go get some ice cream.”

They climbed off of the roof of the old mansion. Since they had decided to move back to Twilight Town, they’d been using the mansion as a home so they wouldn’t have to worry about paying rent with munny they didn’t have. Lea and Isa had chosen to go back to Radiant Garden, which left Roxas and Xion on their own. Sora had suggested they stay with Hayner, Pence, or Olette, but despite how well Roxas knew them, they hardly knew him at all, and they didn't know Xion. He didn’t want to ask them to house what were essentially total strangers.

They’d gotten used to the trek through the woods by then. Xion ran ahead and darted into a cluster of trees. Roxas laughed and began running around, looking for her.

When it came to stealth, Xion had Roxas beat by miles. She tried not to make it too difficult for him to find her by giggling every now and then, but with her constantly moving between one hiding spot and another, he was having a hard time. Finally, she came up behind him and placed her hands over his eyes.

“Dangit, Xion! You got me again! I was so sure I’d win this time.”

She laughed. “It’s not a matter of winning or losing, Roxas. What matters is having fun together.”

He couldn’t help but join in as she laughed.

“Xion?” Roxas said as he crossed through the hole in the wall that lead to the Tram Common.

“Yeah?”

“I want to stay with you forever. I wouldn’t trade these moments for the world.”

She felt her cheeks dust with pink and turned away so Roxas wouldn’t see. “Yeah,” she finally said after she’d composed herself. “I want to spend as much time with you as I can.”

Twilight Town had faced a surge in popularity over sea-salt ice cream, and there were multiple shops selling it as well as a variety of other ice cream flavors. Roxas chose the first one they saw and they went in.

The ice cream parlor had a diner feel to it. The floor had a black and white checkerboard pattern. The leather seats were red, both in the booths and at the counter. Glass blocked the portion of the counter where the ice cream was kept, likely for sanitation purposes.

The young man at the register looked like he was having a hard time staying awake. “Welcome to Twilight Treats, home of the world-renown Rainbow ice cream. What can I get you today?” He asked. “Oh, just a couple of kids. I take it you’re looking for sea-salt?”

Roxas nodded. “Yeah. Two bars, please!”

Xion eyed the young man carefully. “Hey, are you okay?”

He looked at her, surprised. “Heh, folks don’t usually ask me how I’m doing. Truth is, kid, I hate this job, but I can’t get out of it. Can’t find someone to take my place, and the owner sure as heck ain’t working the register.”

Xion’s eyes widened. “Well...we can take your job.”

He raised an eyebrow. “How old are you kids?”

Xion looked at Roxas, but he just shrugged. “Uh...sixteen?” she said, taking a guess.

Relief flooded the young man’s face. “Oh thank heavens! Finally, I can leave this dump and fulfill my dream of becoming a contemporary dancer! Thanks, kids!” He practically threw his hat and apron towards the door to the back room and ran out of the shop.

Xion blinked in surprise a few times. “Well...you said we should get hobbies...does a job count?”

After the shock passed, Roxas started laughing. “Wow, an actual job that doesn’t involve killing heartless. This will be an interesting experience, that’s for sure.”

Xion laughed with him. “Hey, at least we’re doing it together.”

He grinned. “Yep!” He picked up the discarded uniform and put it on. “How do I look?”

Xion snickered. “Like a dork.”

“Oh gee, thanks!” He snorted sarcastically. “Let’s find you one so we can both look like dorks.”

They pushed the swinging door open to reveal a short hallway. At the end was an emergency exit door. On the left was a large metal door labeled “freezer.” On the right was a dark red door with a window, showing a desk with a computer on it. The main office room.

Roxas walked into the office, where he found aprons and hats hanging on the wall.

“Here ya go,” he said, putting a hat on Xion’s head and pulling it down over her eyes.

“Hey!”

“That’s to get you back for the woods.”

They both laughed for a bit before Xion put on an apron. “Hey, there’s an employee handbook here,” she said, picking a small worn out booklet up off of the desk. She put it in the pocket of her apron and they both went back out to the counter.

“So, what flavors do they have besides sea-salt?” Roxas asked, craning his neck to look at the menu above his head.

“It looks like their specialty is rainbow ice cream. The picture just shows a scoop of rainbow colored ice cream, though. What’s so special about it?”

“Maybe we should try some?”

“Roxas, we probably shouldn’t be eating ice cream on the clock.”

“Check the handbook. Maybe we get it for free?”

Xion looked through the pages, eventually finding one that listed the employee benefits. “Woah, you’re right, Roxas. Free ice cream for all employees. Plus a half off discount for friends and family.”

“Well, we don’t have any customers right now. How about we try this ice cream?”

Xion shrugged. “Alright, I’ll try it if you’ll try it.”

Within a few minutes, they’d found a box of rainbow ice cream in the back and each had a spoon.

“It has...kind of a strong smell,” Roxas admitted as he took the lid off.

Xion winced. “I don’t know about this, Roxas. Are you sure?”

Roxas shrugged. “If it’s their specialty ice cream, then it has to be good. Come on, let’s try it.”

“Well...alright.” Xion said “on one. Three, two,”

They both got a spoonful of ice cream.

“One.” Roxas said. As one, they took their respective bites of ice cream.

“Tastes kind of...odd.” Xion said

“You’re right.” Roxas agreed. “Kinda bitter, which is something you wouldn’t expect from ice cream.”

“But, I mean, it’s pretty decent?”

“I guess.”

Xion suddenly felt a throbbing pain in her head. “Ow...I guess I got brain freeze or someth-” she cut off abruptly, staring straight ahead.

She turned towards Roxas, who had turned towards her. “Roxas,” she whispered.

“Yeah?”

“What you said earlier...I want to spend forever with you too. But...not as friends, Roxas.” She leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips.

They both pulled away in shock.

“What just happened?” Roxas asked, staring at Xion.

“I don’t know! I remember taking a bite of the ice cream, and then suddenly we were…”

Roxas looked down at the ice cream. “Did...did the ice cream do that?’

Xion turned pink. “I mean...it wasn’t too bad, was it?”

Roxas rubbed the back of his neck. “Actually, I really liked it. And...I’ve wanted to do it for a while.”

Xion’s face brightened. “Really? So, what then?”

“Xion,” he said, his tone careful. “Will...you go out with me?”

She smiled and nodded. “I’d love to, Roxas.”

Roxas looked down at the ice cream. “We can’t exactly sell this now that we’ve eaten some of it.”

Xion looked at it skeptically. “Maybe we should just get rid of it. Throw it out, burn it, bury it…”

“...or we could eat it again. I mean, that wasn’t bad, right?”

“No, it wasn’t…”

“Then what harm could come from eating more?”

It started raining outside. “I doubt we’ll be getting any business for a while in this weather,” Roxas explained. “So? Wanna try it again?”

Xion looked nervous, but nodded. “Okay. Sure.”

It wasn’t long before the box was empty and the two teens were in the back hallway for some...privacy.


	2. Wait, that's possible?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're enjoying this fluff, because it's only gonna last a few more chapters before everything falls apart.

Xion’s face was bright red. When she’d woken up, she was naked in Roxas’s arms. It was...surprising, to say the least.

A quick look through security footage confirmed the act that the two of them had committed but neither of them remembered. Xion made sure to delete that section of the recordings.

Roxas had a mop out and was cleaning up the back. He looked at Xion. “Hey,” he said. “What if this white stuff if actually vanilla ice cream?”

Xion rolled her eyes. “Gross, Roxas. Don’t even think about tasting it.”

“Hey, I remember you liking it.”

She gritted her teeth and turned towards Roxas. “Are you kidding me?”

“What? I don’t remember, but the security footage…”

“I can’t believe you. I can’t believe me either. Yeah, I like you, but...I definitely wasn’t planning on doing that any time soon.”

“So...what was in that ice cream?”

Xion looked through the handbook at an ice cream guide that described all of the flavors. “It’s like a sherbet, but with alcohol in it, and a hormone that increases your...uh...intimate impulses. We’re supposed to ID people who want it. Gotta be over 21.”

“And we ate the whole box…”

“Let’s just...keep working. Luckily nobody came into the shop because of the storm.”

Xion looked at Roxas, who was putting the mop away. “What’s with that stupid grin on your face?”

“Oh, nothing, just happy. I may not remember it, but I’m glad we did it.”

“Shut up.”

“Oh come on, I know deep down you’re happy about this.”

Xion sighed. “Okay, so maybe this was something I’d considered doing more than once. But I never thought about it seriously! ...too seriously…”

Roxas placed a hand on her shoulder. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing. But, we shouldn’t just pretend it didn’t happen. It did.”

“Yeah, and?”

“So, what are we gonna do about it?”

Xion paused. “I guess we just keep going. We already agreed to date. But let’s...take it slow. Get there when we’re ready, okay?”

Roxas nodded in agreement. “Okay. And...I’m sorry.”

“You’re not the only one at fault,” she admitted. “We both ate the ice cream. I can only assume what we did was consensual.”

“Yeah, but consent when you’re drunk and on weird hormones...is that really consent?”

“It goes both ways, Roxas. Neither of us consciously made the decision. So either we’re both at fault, or neither of us is.”

The rain outside slowed to a light sprinkle, and some activity returned to the streets. Customers began coming in and ordering their ice cream. Xion noted that anyone that got the rainbow ice cream got it to go. She wished she’d been working long enough to notice that before.

It wasn’t that she regretted what they’d done. She just...didn’t expect it. Roxas seemed pleased about it, but she saw how red his face was. He hadn’t been expecting it either. They were both caught by surprise. They just needed to be more careful in the future.

Her mind drifted to Roxas’s question. “Will you go out with me?” It was so cheesy, especially from him, but he probably couldn’t come up with anything else. She chuckled. That’s the way it was with him. Like Sora, Roxas had a one track mind. Variety and creativity weren’t strengths for either of them.

Selling ice cream was fairly easy. Once the weather cleared out, Roxas started going outside every now and then to flag people down, which led to a surge in business. Xion followed as closely to the handbook as she could.

Eventually, it was closing time, and the two headed back to the mansion, sea-salt bars in their hands.

xxxxx

The next few days reached a bit of stability. Work at the shop was fun. Xion and Roxas got to spend more time together. The mysterious owner never showed up, though, so they didn’t take home any money unless they really needed it for one thing or another.

One morning, though, Roxas noticed Xion wasn’t up like she usually was. He want to her room and knocked on her door.

“Come in,” said a rather miserable sounding voice.

Roxas walked in and found her in the bathroom, still in her pajamas and draped over the toilet.

“Oh my gosh, Xion! Are you okay?”

She glared at him. “Do I look okay to you?”

“You look sick.”

“Congratulations! You won a prize for stating the obvious.”

“Why don’t you stay home today? I’ll go to work by myself.”

Xion didn’t want him to do that, but given her situation, she didn’t have much of a choice. “Alright. I’ll stay home. Be safe.”

He planted a kiss on the top of her head. “I will. Get better soon.”

xxxxx

One day turned into three, and then five. It seemed Xion was sick every morning. Roxas had tried getting some stomach medicine for her, but it didn’t help. The other strange thing was that she was usually fine by the time he got back from work. There was even a day when she came in and started helping him halfway through his shift.

Roxas texted Lea with his Gummi Phone, explaining what was happening.

IAmMe: Axel?

FlamingPassion: What’s up, Roxas?

IAmMe: Xion’s been really sick for almost a week now.

FlamingPassion: Ouch. Is she okay?

IAmMe: Kinda? She’s only sick in the mornings. She gets better as the day goes on.

FlamingPassion: ...Roxas

IAmMe: Yeah?

FlamingPassion: Did you two...you know...do the naughty?

IAmMe: It was only once!

FlamingPassion: Were you wearing a condom?

IAmMe: What’s a condom?

FlamingPassion: ...oh boy

IAmMe: What is it?

FlamingPassion: Hang on, I gotta get a different opinion.

Roxas stared at is phone for a while. What was Axel talking about? He was surprised to find he’d received a text from Aqua.

BlueMaster: Axel filled me in. Have you had her use a pregnancy test yet?

IAmMe: Xion? Pregnant? Aqua, we’re not exactly human...I don’t think we can have kids.

BlueMaster: But you did the thing, didn’t you?

IAmMe: We were drunk!

BlueMaster: Doesn’t change the fact it happened. Go to a drug store and buy a test on your way home and have her use it. Instructions should come with it.

IAmMe: Okay…

xxxxx

Roxas’s hands were shaking by the time he opened the mansion gate that evening. He’d been thinking a lot about what Aqua talked to him about. What if Xion really was pregnant? What would he do? What would she do? Could they raise a child?

He found Xion in the study, reading a book. “Roxas?” She asked, noticing the concerned look on his face. “Is everything okay?”

He didn’t say anything and just handed her the shopping bag. She looked inside.

“...do you really think?”

“I don’t know,” he finally said. “Aqua suggested you try it, though. There should be instructions with it.”

“Okay, I'll be back in a bit.”

Roxas took the opportunity to think about the future. If she wasn't pregnant, no harm no fowl. But if she was? Roxas wasn't sure. He'd never thought about being a parent. He didn't even think it was possible for them to have kids in the first place.

So what if they can?

Would that really be so bad?

Roxas loved Xion. He'd known that for a long time. Starting a family with her?

The more Roxas thought about, the more at peace he felt with the idea.

“Hey Roxas?” Xion said as she pushes the door open. Her expression was unreadable.

“Yeah?”

“I'm pregnant.”

Instead of scared or nervous, instead of worried or concerned, instead of being afraid of what they would do, Roxas felt a surge of excitement.

“Xion...that’s amazing!”

Roxas ran over and picked her up in a hug, spinning her around. “It really is possible!”

“I mean, I have the correct genitalia...and Aqua texted me while you were at work asking if I’d ever had a ‘period.’ After she explained what that is and what it means for me...I realized it might actually be possible.”

Roxas laughed. “The circumstances might not be what we’d imagined, but...we learned something about ourselves. We can be parents. We...we can raise a kid!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awww, so cute! My reasoning behind why Xion has the correct design to have a kid: It's Vexen. Come on, have you seen those eyebrows? He's gonna give any human he creates everything necessary down to the slightest detail (shoutout to Kouz for the eyebrow thing). And, theoretically, there's no reason why a nobody shouldn't be able to reproduce. Besides, Roxas wasn't really a nobody to begin with, but rather something entirely different.


	3. The Next Step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, fluff. _For now._

Roxas could deal with the morning sickness. Sure, running the ice cream shop on his own wasn’t as fun, but Xion would usually come in to work in the afternoon and help him out with the rush.

Roxas could deal with the cravings, too. Since his and Xion’s work had brought an influx of customers, the original owner retired and gave the shop to the two teens. This brought in plenty of munny for whatever Xion wanted at any given time.

The hardest part, in Roxas’s opinion, was the mood swings.

“Xion...why are you crying?”

Xion stood up and grabbed him by the collar. “Crying? I”ll show you crying!”

Then she started laughing and let him go.

Needless to say, Roxas already knew Xion was strong, and if her fits of anger were ever to cause him any physical harm, he might be seriously hurt.

Axel tossed his sea-salt bar into the trash can. “So what you’re saying is, you’re scared of her?”

Roxas nodded sheepishly. “I know she could kill me if she wanted to, and while I know she doesn’t consciously want to, I am aware that I could end up with broken bones if I push the wrong buttons.”

Axel chuckled. “Hey Roxas, you ever think about marrying her?”

Roxas’s eyes widened in surprise. “Marrying her? Aren’t we a little young for that?”

“You’re a little young to have a kid, too. And if you want to raise him or her, it might be best for both of you if you tie the knot.”

Roxas thought for a moment. “You know, I hadn’t really thought of it before, but maybe you’re right. Maybe we should get married.”

“I’ll be your best man and everything. Destiny Islands is probably the best place to have it, since you can do the whole ceremony on the beach without spending too much.”

“Have you been planning this for a while?”

“Let’s just say I’ve been thinking about a lot of things since Xion got pregnant, okay?”

They both laughed. “Hey, Roxas, I know if this great jewelry shop. I know the guy who runs it. He can probably get you a discount on rings.”

“Really? Thanks Axel!”

“In return, you gotta give me free ice cream forever, though.”

“Deal.”

xxxxx

Axel told him off for choosing the clock tower. However, Roxas couldn’t think of a place that would hold more meaning for the two of them. They had spent so much time up there together. It was, and probably always would be, his favorite place in Twilight Town.

After closing up shop for the night, Roxas led Xion up the tower.

Xion laughed. “Looks like we had the same idea.” She pulled two sea-salt ice cream bars out of her pocket.

Roxas sighed with relief. She didn’t seem to have any idea what was going on.

They took their usual seats. Roxas looked at the sun, warmth resting in his heart. It was quiet and peaceful. Even though Twilight Town was in perpetual twilight, there were day and night hours. Most of the citizens had already gone home.

“So,” Roxas began. “How’s the baby?”

Xion frowned. “It’s not like I have a psychic connection, Roxas. And women can’t typically feel their babies moving until later in pregnancy.”

“How did you know that?”

“I’ve been reading some guides online and I checked out a few pregnancy books from the library.”

Roxas smiled. “You always were the smart one, weren’t you?”

She laughed. “I hacked into the organization’s computer database. Yeah, I’d say I’m the smart one.”

Roxas took a deep breath and stood up. “Xion...I love you. I love you more than anything. And this baby? I love them too. I want to be with the both of you forever. And, while I know that’s something we can do now, I...I want to take the next step. To make it official.”

He stepped back off of the ledge and got down on one knee, pulling a little black box out of his pocket. “Xion...will you marry me?”

Her first emotion was shock. She was frozen for a bit. Then she laughed and tackled him. Then she started sobbing. Somewhere in all of this, she managed to squeak out a “yes. I love you too, Roxas. I’ll spend forever with you.”

xxxxx

They planned the wedding for a month away. Their friends were initially surprised by how soon, but when Xion explained that she was pregnant and that they wanted to marry as quickly as possible and preferably before she would have to get a dress tailored to a baby bump, they started helping with the planning.

As Axel had suggested, the wedding took place on the beach on Destiny Islands. It wasn’t a huge ceremony. Mickey was conducting it. Terra sat next to Riku. Aqua, Kairi, and Naminé had been asked to be Xion’s bridesmaids. Axel was the best man, and Sora and Ventus were groomsmen. Each group was having a difficult time with the bride and groom to be.

“Xion, sit still!” Kairi said as she applied her makeup.

Aqua tugged at Xion’s hair. “This is a lot harder than it looks, you know. I may have experience with short hair, but if you won’t hold still, it’s gonna hurt for both of us.”

“I’m sorry, guys, I’m just...really nervous, is all.”

Naminé laughed. “I think nervous is an understatement.”

They were in Kairi’s house, specifically her bedroom. “I wonder if Roxas is handling everything better…”

They heard a loud scream from the house next door, Sora’s house, followed by the words “I’M GONNA SCREW SOMETHING UP I JUST KNOW IT I’M NOT READY DON’T MAKE ME GO!”

The girls laughed. “Sounds like Roxas is getting cold feet,” Aqua said as she pinned the last flower into Xion’s hair.

Kairi finished the makeup and stepped back. “Some of my finest work. Not too standoffish, but just a touch above subtle so it brings out your natural glow.”

“The ceremony is starting soon,” Naminé said, grabbing her basket of flowers. “We should get out there.”

Aqua gave Xion a hug. “You look stunning. Good luck.” She pulled the veil over Xion’s face.

xxxxx

“Axel let me go! We’ll just wait until after the baby’s born!”

Axel was dragging Roxas through the sand towards the podium where Mickey was already standing. “Everyone’s already here, Roxas. Look. Terra and Riku, plus the whole gang from Radiant Garden. Your friends from Twilight Town are here too. And let’s not forget everyone from Disney Castle.”

“I barely know some of those people!” Roxas kicked and struggled, but Axel was far too strong.

Soon, Axel was literally dragging Roxas down the aisle, leaving a path in the sand where Roxas’s shoes dragged. He stood Roxas on the podium next to Mickey.

Aqua was supposed to have walked alongside Lea, but since he was already up there, she hurried down the aisle and took her position, causing some chuckles in the congregation.

Kairi and Sora walked down next, miraculously without any issues. Finally, Ven and Naminé, holding the rings and flowers respectively, walked alongside each other, with Naminé tossing flowers to either side of her.

Demyx, who had gotten roped into playing the music, switched to “Here Comes the Bride” and everyone stood. At the end of the aisle stood Xion, with her face veiled and a bouquet of flowers in her arms. Even stood beside her. He’d been surprised when she asked him to symbolically give her away, since even though he’d created her, he’d been no kind of father to her. She insisted that it was tradition, and that she was willing to give him a chance to interact in her life more now that he had a heart.

As they reached the podium, Even took his seat in the front row. Xion passed the bouquet to Aqua as Mickey began reading from a small book. Roxas’s breath caught as he lifted her veil.

“Dearly beloved,” he said in his high voice. “We’re gathered here today to celebrate the union of two brave individuals, whose efforts have saved lives and helped countless beings across countless worlds. Roxas, whose quest for answers led to his deep bonds of friendship and gave him a new perspective on life. And Xion, who was granted life by her friends and who always puts their needs above her own.

“Traditionally, there is a special ritual done at a wedding between two keyblade wielders. Roxas, Xion, would you please summon your keyblades and cross them?”

They did so, each holding up their keyblade with their right hand. They’d both summoned Kingdom Key.

“This act represents the X-blade, the key to light and happiness. Through this action you two are bound together as one. The following phrase seals that bond, uniting two hearts as one. Please repeat after me: ‘May our heart be our guiding key.’”

Roxas and Xion looked at each other. Roxas nodded and they spoke in unison. “May our heart be our guiding key.”

“You may now put your keyblades away and we will continue with the ceremony. Roxas, do you take Xion to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and cherish, to protect and care for, through this life and beyond?”

Roxas’s voice was shaky as he uttered the words “I do.”

“And Xion. Do you take Roxas to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and cherish, to protect and care for, though this life and beyond?”

“I do.”

Ven walked over with the rings and they placed them on each other’s left ring fingers.

“Then I am thrilled to pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!”

Roxas leaned forward and kissed Xion passionately. The congregation cheered. After they broke apart, Xion took the bouquet from Aqua just as Roxas picked her up in his arms. She tossed it behind her. Terra caught it. He glanced at Aqua and blushed, turning away quickly. Riku elbowed him in the side. “Guess you’re getting married soon!”

“Shut up, Riku.”

Meanwhile, on the podium, the group was placing bets.

“I think they’re only going to have the one,” Sora stated.

“I’m thinking two,” said Ven.

Axel laughed. “Those two? There’s no way they’re stopping at so few. Five at least.”

“I agree with Ven,” Kairi said, “but, it’s gonna be twins.”

Axel laughed. “You think she’s pregnant with twins now?”

Kairi shrugged. “Hey, they don’t have a way of knowing yet. They could be?”

Aqua cut into the conversation. “Okay, before I say my guess, how much are we betting on this? It’s going to take quite a few years before a winner is decided, so I suggest we go big or go home.”

“5,000 munny,” Ven said.

“6,000,” said Sora.

“10,000, take it or leave it,” Axel declared. Everyone nodded.

“10,000 munny it is,” Aqua agreed. “My bet’s on three kids.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify: the groups that I had walk to the podium aren't necessarily my ships. These are literally just the people that the Roxas and I chose to have as bride's maids and groom's men. I paired them up as I saw fit.


	4. Happy Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childbirth is a beautiful process. And painful. Very. Painful. For everyone involved.
> 
> Having a baby is difficult. Roxas and Xion manage to get by okay raising a child, until...

Xion counted out the customer’s change. “There you go, 135 munny.” Roxas came up next to her and handed them their ice cream. “Enjoy!”

With that, they were ready to close up shop for the night. “Go lock the door, Roxas. I’ll count out the till,” Xion said.

Roxas nodded. “Will do. And try not to let the register hit the baby this time…”

Xion rolled her eyes and rested her arm on her baby bump. “That was one time. Are you ever going to let me live that down?”

“Not until that baby is in a crib instead of inside you.”

They both shared a laugh. As Roxas locked the door, though, he heard the sound of change dropping to the floor. “Oh, let me get that for you,” he said, turning around. However, instead of protesting like she normally would, Xion was staring into space. Her face looked...pale. “Xion?”

“...Roxas take me to a hospital.”

“What?”

“Roxas, the baby’s coming!”

“Now? But you’re not due for another week!”

Xion yelled out in pain, sweat beading on her forehead. “Roxas!”

“Okay! We’re going to a hospital!”

Roxas opened a corridor directly into the hospital. Nurses jumped as the couple appeared. Roxas walked up to the reception desk. “My wife is going into labor!” He yelled frantically, panic gradually taking over.

Minutes later, Xion was in the maternity ward and surrounded by nurses. Roxas sat in a hall, anxiously biting his nails.

“You can come in now, Roxas,” a nurse said as she left. Roxas entered the room, where Xion was on a bed, now with only one nurse watching over her.

“Alright,” the woman said, taking Xion’s hand. “You’ve been given some painkillers, but it’s still going to hurt. I need you to keep breathing as contractions come and go. Okay?”

Xion nodded, her face pale and sweaty.

“Good. Roxas, you can come and sit next to her and hold her hand if you’d like.”

Roxas was convinced Xion was going to break his hand with how strong her grip was.

It seemed like forever before something changed. The nurse was constantly checking on Xion, making sure everything was okay. Roxas held his wife’s hand nervously. Every time she grunted or yelled in pain, it felt like a hand was squeezing his heart.

The nurse checked on Xion one more time. “Looks like it’s time.” She opened the door to the hall and nodded at a doctor, who was waiting outside, filling out paperwork. He walked, washed his hands, and put on gloves.

“Are you ready, Xion?” She nodded. “I need you to push when I tell you to.”

xxxxx

“Here you go, Xion,” the nurse said, placing the now washed and swaddled baby into the new mother’s arms. “Your new, healthy, baby girl.”

The baby was sleeping contentedly in Xion’s arms. Roxas looked over at her. The little hair the girl had was a pale blond. She wasn’t particularly cute, but Roxas had been prepared. Newborns were never as adorable as babies that were a few months old.

Besides, she was cute to him.

“What should we name her?” Roxas rested his hand on Xion’s arm.

“I want her name to have some kind of meaning.”

“We’ve been through a lot, huh?” Roxas said, thinking on their past. “The organization, Xehanort, everything. It’s been a long journey.”

“I feel like it was only yesterday that I woke up in my new body.”

“And look at us now? Married, parents...business owners,” he said with a laugh. “We’re...normal people. We’re living normal lives.”

Xion looked down at the baby’s face. “I know what I want to name her. A name that represents the beginning of a new life and a brighter future.”

“What did you have in mind?”

Xion smiled. “Dawn.”

xxxxx

Roxas often found himself running the shop alone since Xion stayed home with Dawn. It was...lonely, to say the least. They got plenty of business, sure, but without Xion there, the job wasn’t nearly as fun. He looked forward to going home every day to see his wife and daughter waiting for him.

Axel walked into the shop as Roxas was wiping down tables. “Hey there, lover boy, how’s the family?” He threw an arm around Roxas’s shoulders.

Roxas sighed, a content smile on his face. “Amazing…”

Axel grinned. “You’re really enjoying the domestic life, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. No missions, no heartless, just me and my family. Work is boring, but then I get to go home to a loving wife and adorable baby. This...is perfect. This is the life I want.”

Axel’s grin melted away. “Don’t jinx it, buddy. Whenever something’s too good to be true, it usually is. You never know what might happen.”

“Jeez, thanks for killing the mood.”

“I’m just looking out for you, Roxas. I don’t want to see you fall apart if something goes wrong.”

“What if something doesn’t go wrong?”

“You’re a Keyblade wielder, Roxas. Something always goes wrong.”

xxxxx

Roxas wished Axel wasn’t so smart.

He got a call from Ven late that night, reporting that there were heartless attacking Twilight Town. Moments later, he, Ven, and Sora were in the woods, fighting off hoard after hoard of heartless. “There’s so many of them!” Ven yelled.

Roxas gritted his teeth. “Why are they even here? What do they want?”

Sora shrugged. “Beats me! All I know is they need to be stopped!”

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Xion was awake, trying to soothe Dawn back to sleep. “It’s okay,” she whispered, gently rocking the baby back and forth. “Shhhh, everything’s okay…”

Xion gently placed Dawn in her crib as heartless began to appear in the bedroom. “Oh no you don’t!” She yelled, summoning her Keyblade. It had been almost two months since she’d given birth, and for the most part, she was energized and ready to fight. “Stay away from my baby!”

Soldiers and Shadows lunged at Xion and she sliced through them with ease. However, the longer she fought, the stronger her enemies became.

Roxas looked around, confused. “Where’d all the heartless go?”

“I dunno, I guess that’s it?” Sora said, placing his arms behind his head. “I’m heading home.”

“Same,” said Ven. “See ya, Roxas.”

“Bye guys.” Roxas walked back towards the mansion. His walk turned into a run as he began to hear the sounds of combat coming from in side. “Oh gosh, no...no no no…”

He burst into the bedroom, Keyblade drawn. “So this is where they went!” He began slicing the heartless in half until there weren’t any left.

“Are you and the baby okay?” He asked, panting a little due to destroying a lot of heartless.

Xion nodded, breathing heavily. “Yeah, we’re fine. I’m a little worse for wear, but I’ll be alright.”

Dawn started crying. Xion gently picked her up. “Come on,” she said to Roxas. “We need to talk to Master Yen Sid. He might know what’s going on.”

Roxas nodded. He opened a corridor to Yen Sid’s tower.

“Wait,” Xion said, walking into the closet. She walked out with their old Organization coats. “We can’t go through corridors in normal clothes, remember? Put this on.”

“What about Dawn?”

Xion grinned. “Remember the Moogle that worked for the Organization?”

“Yeah…”

She held up a small black coat. “I bought his coat off of him after the whole Xehanort ordeal.” She carefully wrapped Dawn in the coat. It was big on her, but it would work. “Now we can go.”

He put the coat on. “I’m ready.”

Xion picked up Dawn and walked through the corridor.

Roxas followed behind her. “I hope he knows why they were here.”


	5. The Other Half and the Replica

Roxas and Xion arrived next to Yen Sid, who was sitting calmly at his desk, as usual.

“Hello master Yen Sid.” Xion said, bowing respectfully towards the old master.

“Sup?” Roxas said

“Roxas! Be more respectful!”

“Fine, hello master Yen Sid, it is nice to see you again.”

Yen Sid nodded to the young pair. “It’s nice to see you again. It has been quite some time. You look distressed. What brings this young family to my study in such a hurry?”

Xion looked to Roxas, who gestured for her to explain. “Heartless attacked Twilight Town. Ven, Sora, and Roxas went out to fight them, but several got into the house and went straight for Dawn and me. Do you know why?”

Yen Sid then nodded slowly, his sagely gaze locking on Xion. “There are enemies with a vendetta against you.”

“But we defeated Xehanort, who's controlling the heartless now?” Roxas said

“One of them is a young man named Vanitas,” Yen Sid explained. “He is the other half of Ventus, and I would wager that he doesn’t appreciate that you look identical to the young man who took everything from him. As for the other…” He hesitated, unsure of how to word what he had to say. “When you were developed as a replica, Xion, there were others like you. One in particular was also employed by the organization. A replica of Riku. He’s targeting you specifically.”

“Why? What did I do to him?”

“Jealousy makes people do things they wouldn’t otherwise dream of doing. You got the life he never could. You were gifted with friends and family, while he was doomed to destruction and solitude.”

Xion looked down at Dawn. A family...not only was she a replica, but she had been gifted with a husband, a child. Family that someone jealous of her would have no problems taking away from her. “Where can we find them?” She asked, determination in her voice.

Yen Sid closed his eyes, considering if he should actually give that information to the young woman. He sighed. “I don’t know their exact location. The Keyblade Graveyard would be your best bet.”

Roxas noticed Xion’s determination and nodded. “Thanks. We’ll be on our way, then. Better to get these guys out of the way now before they cause any more trouble.” 

“Before you go, you should visit the three Good Fairies for a change of clothing,” Yen Sid said calmly, gesturing to the doorway to his left. “They are at the end of that hallway there.”

Xion and Roxas nodded, proceeding through the door.

It was mere seconds before the fairies were crowding around Xion, fussing over Dawn. “Why, look girls!” Flora said excitedly. “It’s a baby!”

Dawn, overwhelmed by the strangely dressed women, began crying, prompting all three to back off. Xion smiled apologetically and did her best to soothe the baby.

Fauna was the first to compose herself. “Now, girls, I’m sure Xion and Roxas aren’t here so we can relive our days with Rose.”

Merrywether sighed. “What a wonderful time that was. Just the three of us and the little princess. It’s nice to have my magic, though. Pretending to be human felt so restrictive.”

Flora chuckled. “Yes, it was certainly an interesting time in our lives. Now, dearies, you must be in need of new clothes to shield you against the darkness. Those coats, while practical, are old and worn out. You need something new.”

The fairies had learned their lesson about magically throwing clothes onto people and instead discussed options for the family using mannequins. When they were finished, the trio worked together to get the new outfits just right.

Xion was given a tight white blouse with open sleeves, giving her a lot of freedom of arm movement. She wore a short black skirt and white leggings, with black combat boots reaching her mid calf. Red trim decorated the entire ensemble.

Roxas had a red and black vest over a white t-shirt. He wore black jeans with the same red trim Xion had, a red belt to match. His own boots were about the same height as Xion’s, the same black.

Dawn was in a white onesie with a black hood and red trim. Since Xion was deemed the more careful fighter, she was given a baby sling, locked by her Keyblade, that held Dawn to her chest. The fairies had been skeptical at first, but Xion insisted that she couldn’t leave Dawn alone, and didn’t know who she would ask to babysit at such short notice, especially someone who understood the threat against their family and had the ability to protect the infant.

With a brief goodbye to the Good Fairies and a promise to come back and let them see the baby again soon, Xion and Roxas made their way to the Keyblade Graveyard. “Where would we even start looking?” Xion asked, gently rubbing Dawn’s head.

Roxas shrugged. “I guess we should just start walking. If they’re here, they’ll probably come to us.”

They walked for a while, the silence of the world deafening. Neither dared say anything, focusing their senses on determining if there was anybody else nearby. The only sounds were the wind, their footsteps, and the occasional babble or cry from Dawn.

“Who brings a baby to a battlefield?”

Roxas and Xion both froze and looked to the side, where a young man in a black mask was approaching them. “Seriously, that’s like asking for you kid to get killed.”

A different voice appeared behind them. “They say that you will do extreme things to protect the ones you love. But replicas and nobodies aren’t capable of love, so I guess they have no sense of protection for the kid.” A young man in a similar outfit to the other one was walking towards them, the only difference being the color scheme of their striped body-tight suits and the fact that the newcomer’s face was exposed. He was a much younger looking Riku. Which meant the other foe was Vanitas.

Vanitas laughed. “Ventus isn’t a nobody, you idiot.”

Riku groaned. “I keep telling you that this isn’t Ventus.”

“He looks like Ven.”

“That’s because of Sora who, I might add, looks like you.”

Any arrogance Vanitas had slipped away, angered at the replica’s words. “Why you little-”

“Don’t fight me, idiot,” the Riku replica said in a mocking tone, matching Vanitas’s “idiot.” “If you’re mad, take it out on the Ventus clone over here. I have a puppet to take care of.”

Xion and Roxas summoned their Keyblades. Xion focused on defense and range, keeping as much defense between herself and Repliku as possible. The two-handed fighting style she’d adopted from Sora provided a good protection for Dawn, as one arm or the other was constantly crossed over Xion’s chest, shielding the baby from any attacks aimed at her.

Repliku fought just like Riku. Well, more like Riku used to. Her scattered memories she still had of Sora’s past helped her to know exactly how he would move and what he would do. Unfortunately, since he had Riku’s memories, he was prepared for all of her Sora-based attacks as well.

Roxas swinging two Keyblades around definitely threw Vanitas off. Ven held a single Keyblade backhand. He didn’t even know it was possible to wield two at once. Roxas also had much more physical strength than Ventus did. His biggest weakness was his focus on offense. With poor defense, Vanitas was able to get quite a few good hits in. It was mostly a matter of which of the two could take the most damage.

After what felt like forever and an instant at the same time, Roxas finally struck Vanitas down, collapsing in the dirt himself. Vanitas disappeared in a wisp of black smoke. “No! Not again! This can’t be happening to me again!”

Repliku groaned. “Seriously? I can’t believe I even bothered to team up with you.” Xion used his distraction and hit him in the head with her Keyblade. He crumpled to the ground, leaving only Xion standing. As the last of Vani’s form dissipated, Xion stepped forward and carefully held his heart.

“This needs to get back to Ventus,” she muttered, “or else he’ll just keep coming back.” She touched it with her Keyblade, holding the heart inside for now. She then cast Curaga on both herself and Roxas and approached Repliku.

A pool of black swirled underneath him, pulling his form into it. She gasped and quickly drove her Keyblade into his stomach, hoping she was fast enough to finish him off before he was pulled into the darkness. He disappeared, as did the darkness. It was unclear exactly what the result was.

Roxas slowly climbed to his feat. “Is that it? Did we win?”

Xion looked around and nodded. “I...I think so. Yeah, we won.” She sighed in relief, opening a corridor back to the house.

After getting Dawn to sleep, Xion lay on the bed, exhausted. “Keyblade wielders never get a break, do we?”

Roxas joined her, shaking his head. “Nope, not ever. No rest for the weary. I guess part of the hero gig is the saving worlds, and I don’t know if the worlds are ever truly safe. There’s always bad people out there, you know?”

“Or right here!” A shadowy figure rolled out from under the bed and stood up. Xion jumped and turned on the light, only to see Sora making the most ridiculous face ever. “Raaah!”

Riku came out the other side. “Sora, you’re an idiot,” he mumbled. Something about him seemed weird. Maybe it was the lack of sleep in his eyes. “I can’t believe you dragged me here for this ‘ultimate prank’ of yours. Waste of my time.”

Sora laughed. “You’re just upset that I came up with this instead of you.”

“No, I’m upset that you woke me up for the lamest prank ever.”

Xion looked angry. “Would you two get out of here? Now?”

Roxas stood up. “I’ll show you out. Come on.” He grabbed Sora by the ear and dragged him out the door, Sora complaining the whole way about how Roxas was hiding the fact that he was scared. Riku, however, stayed behind.

Xion looked at him curiously. “Something bothering you, Riku?”

“Yeah, something is bothering me.” He walked towards her, and Xion realized that he wasn’t as tall as he should have been. “Why do you exist?”

Xion yelled out, but was cut off when he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her into the air. “I should have your life. I’m better than you!” He threw her against a bookshelf, causing the whole thing to collapse on top of her. “I’m taking your life from you! If I can’t have a happily ever after, then neither can you!”

The last thing Xion heard before blacking out was Dawn crying.

**Author's Note:**

> Like what I do? Think I'm a pretty cool person? Why not check out some of the other stuff I've written?
> 
> Want to kick me in the butt until I post a new chapter? Join the Discord!
> 
> https://discord.gg/BBt9GB8


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